Mobile pollution checks turn into a farce

Visakhapatnam: Despite the mechanism to check pollution-level, the wrong use of it is adding to the woes of the increasing pollution in the city. The mobile vehicle pollution check centres which should conduct emission test and ensure that polluting vehicles do not ply on the road are learnt to be issuing fake Pollution Under Control (UPC) certificates to vehicles.

The centres are accused of preparing a set of certificates prior to conducting the emission tests in the word format and issue the same with varying values. They just connect the nozzle pipe to pretend as if they are conducting the test. “I was shocked to find that one centre simply entered the details of my vehicle in a computer and issued the certificate within a few minutes. They didn't have any equipment to check the emission of pollutants by the vehicle," K. Vijay Kumar, a college student told.

A youngster, who worked with one such centre, said the calibration of the machines are hardly done and moreover running the battery or inverter, filling gas in the machines to conduct the test would leave a slim margin. Hence, the centres issue certificates even without running the machine, he added. The Pollution Control Board should have taken surprise inspection of the centres to ensure that right equipment is being used and rules are being followed to measure the emission.

However, the local pollution control body passed the buck to the RTA when asked about irregularities. Conceding to the fact the the cenres were issuing fake pollution certificates, deputy transport commissioner Venkateshwar Rao said, “We are receiving many such complaints. However, we need time to look into the cases as all staff members are busy in the online vehicle registration process launched from Vizag.”  

“This has become a nation-wide issue. We have revoked about 20 licences of the 60 issued to the mobile vehicle pollution check centres and would conduct surprise raids at the centres,” he added. Irrespective of the pollution test, the vehicle owners should become responsible by servicing their vehicles regularly at authorised service centre, said the deputy commissioner, also expressing concern over the sale of adulterated oil in the city which also pollutes the air.